Signal



July 8, 1930 E. E. wlcKERsl-IAM 1370,094

' SIGNAL K Filed July 1, 1929 2'. Sheets-Sheet 1 Flll- July 8, 1930 E.E. wlcKERsHAM 1,770,094

SIGNAL Filed July 1, 1929 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 FIE 4 Fll A TTORNE YSPatented July 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELMER E. WICKERSHAM, FSAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO CATERPILLAR TRACTOR CO., OF SANLEANDRO, CALIFORNIA, A lCYIORIORA'IION' OF CALIFORNIA SIGNAL Applicationfiled July 1, 1929. Serial Nos 375,159.

My invention relates to signals for use wlth cleaners, particularly aircleaners such vas are utilized in connection with hydrocarbon motors.

Air cleaners are usually installed ipon machinery wherein air isutilized as a uid during the operation of the engine.` The purpose ofthe cleaners, as is well known, is to remove particles of grit, dirtandother undesirable foreign matter from the air prior to its admissionto the engine. The pressure drop through the cleaner, which ordinarilyis negligible, rises under some conditions to such a value as to affectthe efficiency and operation of the engine.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device for indicating therelative condition of an air cleaner.

Another object of my invention is to pro-1 vide a device, which, uponthe removal by the air cleaner of a'predetermined quantity of foreignmatter, enables a suitable signal to advise an operator.

A further object of my invention is to provide an air cleaner so that avmore efiicient delivery of air is eected to the engine to which it isattached.

The invention possesses. other advantageous features, some of which withthe foregoing will ybe set forth at length in the following descriptionwhich I shall outline in full that form of the signal of my invention,which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying andforming part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shownone form of signal embodying my invention, but it is to be understoodthat I do not limit-myself to such form since the.

invention, as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality offorms.v

In the drawings to which I have made reference, l

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hydrocarbon motor to which a device ofmy invention is attached.

Fig. 2 is a section through a form of a device of my inventionpositioned upon the outlet of an air cleaner.

Fig. 3 shows a form of indicating means employed,

Fig. 6 is another modificationV of the de-V vice of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a further modification.

The device and method of my invention may be briefly characterized ascomprising the provision of means for -indicating that the pressure dropthrough the air cleaner has reached a predetermined amount.

'While my device may be utilized in connection with air cleanerspositioned upon other forms of engines it is employed with great successupon an ordinary gasoline engine. Thus, as is particularly shown in Fig.1, an air cleaner 11 is usually provided in communication with the airhorn 12 of a carburetor 13. The carburetor is utilized in the usualmanner to supply fuel through the intake manifold 14 to the severalcylinders of the hydrocarbon motor indicated generally The air cleaner11 is usuallyof any of the commercial types available upon the market.

vUnder operating conditions, as when the hy@ drocarbon motor 16 isutilized with harvesting or tractor machinery, the air cleaner oftenrapidly fills with foreign matter, and itis both expedient and desirablethat the filter be cleaned several times during av normal days run.However, because ofthe exigencies of operation it happens, notinfrequently, that the air cleaner 1s neglected and, accordingly, as thepressure drop through the cleaner rises,

thev efiiciencyof theengine drops off.

To warn against the presence of an excessive pressure drop through theair cleaner I material as metal and is-provided with an tioned withrespect to pointer36 mounted upon the bellows. The strip is convenientlylaperture 22 in such a manner that only a small portion of the air takeninto the intake manifold is passed thru it. The whistle is ordinarilyinoperative until an excessive pressure drop throughv the air cleaneroccasions the passage of a large volume of air thru the aperture. Thewhistle then sounds a characteristie note. To position the whistle it isconveniently mounted upon a hollow stud 26 which is screwed into boss 27on cap 28 of the i air cleaner.

form shown in Fig. 3 a strip 33 is usually fastened upon the laircleaner by 'a screw 34 in such a manner that it is operativelyposiprovided with a series of graduations so laid out that when thebellows is in normal uncollapsed position the pointer is opposite'to aletter A on the strip, which indicates that the air cleaner is insatisfactory. condition. As the pointer 36 moves down it approaches alower limit, indicated by the letter B, at which vpoint it is desirablethat the air cleaner be removed and reconditioned.

Under operating condition it sometimes happens that the operator willignore the indication. The collapsible bellows 31 is expedientlyutilized further to actuate a suitable signal. Thus'as is shown in Fig.4 the bellows is provided with an extending arm 41 upon' `whichisfiounted, in electrical contact with the arm, contact 42|. A support43 is provided between the bellows and the stud 32 upon which thebellows is mounted. Another lcontact 44 is provided upon the arm 43 fromwhich it is insulated. These contacts'are placed `in anelectricalcircuit, in any well known manner, and utilized to sound asuitable horn or bell to warn the operator that t-he air cleaner shouldbe reconditioned.

. I havefound it desirable also, in some instances, to place thecontacts mentioned above in the ignition circuit of the motor in such amanner that the circuit was rendered ineffective when the air cleanerneeded reconditioning. This assures the necessary attent-ion to thecleaner.

Because of the hazardous conditions under which gasoline engines aresometimes operated it is expedient that all possible dangersbe obviatedfrom'back firing thru the carburetor of the engine. While the aircleaner$5 imposes a closure to the air intake side of the A collapsible,resilient,-

carburetor it -is possible that a flame might with the air delivery sideof thepcleaner. A

portion 53 of the body 51 is in direct conimunication with the aircleaner thru passage 54 in stud 52. The portion of the body 51 isusually provided with an aperture 5.6 formed by lips57 and 58. Lip 57 isexpediently of such a nature that upon a passage of .air into Athemanifold a musical note will be sounded. To screen the aperture 56 aportion 59 of the body 51 substantially surrounds the aperture andprovides a large volume into which Huid emitted from the' aperturepasses. The portion 59 is partially sealed with a plug 61 so thataperture 62 is provided for the passage of fluid into the body 51 insuch a manner that the iuid stream impinges upon the lip 57.- Theaperture 62 is adjacent to the base of the body 51 and is of such anextent that considerable fluid resistance is imposed upon the air streamentering the aperture.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 a whistle 71 having an outer shell72 is mounted upon hollow stud 7 3 which is provided in communicationwith the air cleaner. In this instance, however, the fluid passage thruthe stud is extended by means of a tube portion 74. An air entrance 76is provided in the lower portion of the outer shell adjacent to a lip77.

. In the modification shown in Fig. 7 asuitable suction whistle 81 ispositioned upon a l hollow body 82 by a stud 83 to which the whistle isaiiixed. The body 82 is provided with a fluid passage which I haveindicated as 86. Interposed in this -luid passage and adjacent to arestricted portion 87 thereof I preferably position a ball check 88 insuch a mannerv that the passage of fluid out of the intake manifold tothe atmosphere is resisted by the ball check. However, the weight of thecheck is so slight that upon the certainl desired minimum thru the aircleaner the check is lifted from its position and is renderedinoperative with respect to occasioning of a pressure drop beyond a thepassage of air into the manifold. To K facilitate the construction andplacing of the check I preferably provide a stud 91. This stud islconveniently formed with an extension 92 adapted to be positioned in thepassage 87 to retain the check in position so that it cannot work itsway out.

I claim:

1. In combination with an enginehaving an intake manifold, an aircleaner in communication with said manifold thru whlch air lows to saidengine, and means for indicating the pressure drop ofsaid air flowing'thru cleaner.

2. In combination with an engine having an intake manifold, an aircleaner in communication with said manifold thru which air flows to saidengine normally with negligible pressure drop across said cleaner, andmeans for indicating an abnormal pressure drop thru said cleaner.

3. In combination with an air cleaner, said cleaner being incommunication with a source of air and having a passage away from saidcleaner, a pressure responsive means in communication with said passagefor indicating a differential between said source and said passage. f

4. A signal device including an aircleaner in communication with asource of air and having a passage away from said cleaner comprising asignaling device, andV means responsive to a pressure differentialbetween said source and said passage for enabling said signaling device.L

5. In combination, an air cleaner in communication with a source and aHuid consumer, means responsive to .a diference in pressure between saidsource and said consumer, and means actuated by said responsive meansfor initiating a signal.`

6. In combination, a body through which air is adapted to pass,indicating means for giving an indication to an operator, and meansresponsive to an abnormal pressure drop through said body for energizingsaid indicating means to indicate to the operator of theabnormal'pressure drop.

7 In combination, an air cleaner, means y for .indicating an abnormalcondition to an operator, and means responsive to an abnormal pressuredrop through the cleaner for enabling the indicating means. Y

8. In combination, an air cleaner; a hollow body carrying a signalingmeans adapted to be placed in communication with the cleaner underabnormal conditions therein, and valve meanslresponsive to an abnormalcondition in the cleaner for providing communication to the signalingmeans. i y

9. In combination, an air cleaner, a signaling means enabled upondecrease of pressure. therein to signal an operator, and valve meansresponsive to pressure decrease through the cleaner for placing thesignaling means in communication with the cleaner to be enabled tosignal an operator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ELMER E. WICKERSI-IAM.

